William gardner



(No Model.)

W. GARDNER. CURVE SGRIBER.

No. 450,455. Patented Apr. 14,1891.

2&2 $1).

Fries.

ATENT YVILLIAM GARDNER, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y.

CURVE-SCRIBER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 450,455, dated April 14, 1891.

Application filed December 3, 1890. Serial No. 373,442. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WrLLIAM GARDNER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flexible Rulers or Curvc-Scribers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

. My invention relates to improvements in flexible rulers or eurvescribers especially adapted for use by draftsmen and designers; and it has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive device which can be adjusted to make any desired regular or irregular curve and to provide simple means for firmly securing the flexible ruler in the position in which it is adjusted or curved, as well as to permit the ruler to assume any desired curvature.

Vith these ends in view my invention consists of a flexible blade or strip, a series of slotted slides pivoted or hinged to the strip at suitable intervals along one side thereof, and a series of joints pivoted together and having the slotted slides secured to the same to hold the metal strip securely in position when the strip has been adjusted to the desired curve. In order to make the slides work easily onthe guides fastened on the series of joints, I provide a thin flat spring between two washers, which spring is adapted to hold the slide firmly in position when it is properly adjusted.

My invention further consists of the peculiar construction and arrangement of parts, as will be fully described and claimed hereiuafter.

To enable others to more readily understand my invention, I have illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I is a plan view of my improved ruler, showingit adjusted to form a compound curve. Fig. II is a longitudinal sectional view taken through a number of joints. Fig. III is a detail view of the slotted slide. Fig. IV

is a vertical sectional view on the line y y of Fig. I, and showing a modification of my invention. Fig. V is a sectional View showing a modification of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures, 1 designates the thin flexible blade or strip of metal which forms the ruling edge of my flexible ruler or curvescriber. This blade is made, preferably, of thin steel in order to provide a light and flexible device, and it may be marked on its outer edge with one or more systems of linear measurement.

Suitably secured to the rear or inner edge of the blade 1 in such a manner that they will not interfere with ruling a perfect line are a series of lugs or eyes 2, to each of which one of a series of slides 3 is connected by means nected together by means of the pivots 7 7,

and separated from contact with the heads of the pivots by the washers 8 8. These joints are constructed of suitable material, and washers 9 9 are provided between the opposing faces of the sections to prevent frictional contact between the joints at their pivots. This series of joints 6 7 consists of the longer joints l0 and the two shorter joints 11 11 alternately joined together. Each of the longer joints 10 is provided with a screw 12 on its upper side, which serves to connect the slides 3 to the joint and as a guide for the slides by passing through the slot 5 in said slides and holding the same in position by means of the washers 13, which press directly on the slides. The alternate short joints 11 11' are used to permit the blade 1 to assume a curve of greater or less convexity or concavity, as desired, and when the curve has been obtained the joints and the slides prevent the slightest displacement in any degree of the curvature of the flexible ruler owing to the friction between the joints themselves and between the slides and the joints. These short joints are halved and the sections connected together by small screws 14L, having their heads countersunk and provided with polygonal nuts. These nuts each have two washers 16 placed beneath the nut, and one of the slides 3 is adapted to move on the screw and between the washers and the ends of the joints 11 11'. By this construction it curve is wanted.

1s arranged in such a manner that the lower edge of the blade and the lower edge of the joints are in the same plane, and thus the joints are adapted to form a support to hold the blade in a vertical position at all times and present a firm and even surface along which to rule a line.

In Fig. V I have shown a modification of my invention, which consists of a flat spring 15, arranged around the pivots 14, and the screws 12, and between the washers 16 and S, by means of which spring the slides 3 are adapted to work easily and smoothly on the screws 12 14. This construction is also-desirable to increase the friction on the slides and insure the slides being, held rigidly in posit1on after the ruler has been properly adjusted.

It will be seen by the foregoing description that each of the slides and the joints should be of the same length, so that the curve formed i friction-spring secured between guides for by the ruler may be perfect in every detail.

To use the device the flexible blade or strip is simply adjusted to conform with the copy or desired curve, and the joints adjust themselves as the ruler is made to conform to the copy, the slides moving easily on the guides, but they are sufficiently tight to hold the blade rigidly in any desired position.

I am aware that changes in the form and i proportion of parts and details of construction can be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages of my invention, and I therefore reserve the right to make such changes as fall Within the scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A flexible ruler consisting of a blade or strip, the slotted slides pivotally connected to said blade at suitable intervals, the continuation of joints comprising alternative long joints and two short joints suitably pivoted together and adapted to move laterally on said slides, for the purpose set forth.

2. Ina flexible ruler, the combination of a blade or strip, a series of slotted slides pivotally connected to the blade on one side thereof, the continuation of alternative long and short joints pivotally secured together, the long joint being provided with a screw or pivot on which said slides are movable, the alternating slides being fitted to move laterally on the pivot which secures the short joints together, substantially as described.

3. In a flexible ruler, a blade or strip, a series of slotted slides pivotally secured to said blade, a continuation of joints pivotally secured together and adapted to move on said slides to adjust the ruler in position, and a said slides to hold the same and the blade rigidly in place, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM GARDNER.

Witnesses DscAR B. JARVIS, W. E. RUSSELL. 

